AUGUST 3, 2006 National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund RE: Best Practices in Breast Cancer Advocacy Awards Nomination To Whom It May Concern: On behalf of the Haitian American Association Against Cancer, Inc. (HAAAC) I am writing this letter in support of the nomination of the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation and it’s End Breast Cancer license plate program for Best Practices in Breast Cancer Award. Through the FBCF advocacy effort the End Breast Cancer license plate bill was signed into law in 2002 enabling the FBCF to obtain revenues from the sale of license plates to fund research and education in the state of Florida. HAAAC, a not for profit association dedicated solely to promoting cancer awareness, education and screening among the ethnic/racial minorities, with a particular emphasis on the South Florida Haitian American community, was involved in a very unique program with the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center as a direct result of funds received through the FBCF education grant. The project, named “Sè ede Sè”, was a collaborative effort between the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and HAAAC to pilot a project ion Little Haiti aimed at increasing the rate of mammography, Clinical Breast Exams and self-breast exams among the Haitian women living in Miami. The project’s main component included the development, training and implementation of a Lay Health Advisor (LHA) program which enlisted women from the community to help educate other community women about breast cancer and the importance of early detection and screening. The LHA training was culturally adapted and translated in Creole from a similar and successful program created by the North Carolina Breast Cancer Screening Program (NC-BCSP). The funds from the FBCF were used to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate educational materials to be used by lay health advisors for education women in the Haitian community about breast cancer. This has been a very exciting project and a very successful one with the graduation of two classes of LHA and the development of a beautiful and creative pocket book size flipchart to be used by the LHA’s. This could not have been accomplished without the resources from the FBCF, which allowed us to pilot this project and solicit funds from other organization to expand the project. The FBCF unique program to use funds from End Breast Cancer license plate sales to fund educational activities that “Empower Women to Take An Active Role in their Breast Health” especially underserved women and women with cultural and language barriers meets the many selection criteria for this award and I strongly urge you to consider this nomination so that this type of innovative program may be shared and replicated by other advocacy groups. If you have any questions or require additional information please contact me at (304) 572-1825.
Pascale D. Auguste Cc: Jacques Caliste, Executive Director Haitian American Association Against Cancer, Inc. |
